(NECN/NBC: David Lippman) - Advances in technology let doctors do amazing things to help their patients recover from injuries and illnesses, but they're also finding a simple tune can have a powerful impact on a person's health.
Mary Malloy, a licensed music therapist, works with patients of all ages, with both physical and mental health problems.
"I can remember watching my dad play the piano, and listening to him play and sing, and I just thought it was the most magical and amazing thing in the world," she said.
As one of 5,000 music therapists in the United States, Malloy is using a guitar, drum, and some maracas to bring a smile to her patients' faces.
"Medicine is starting, as a whole, to really look at the bigger picture, as well. What's going on with their mood? What's going on with their thought processes? What's going on with their family support systems?" Malloy said. "Because that all affects how they're going to heal."
Malloy tries to use her music to connect patients with positive emotions, and to help them understand and overcome the challenges they'll face in their treatment.
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